


Bodhi Rook and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

by thepilot



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cassian is a cop, M/M, bodhi is a truck driver, caught in a snowstorm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 04:53:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12880566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepilot/pseuds/thepilot
Summary: Written for SniperPilot Winter and the Blizzard Prompt.





	Bodhi Rook and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Bodhi Rook was having an awful day. The traffic into the city had been slow and terrifying. A sudden wheel slip on black ice would’ve sent his trailer into a ditch. The snow had been light, but now fell in heavy flakes, blurring the horizon. He shook the snow from his already wet hair as he stepped inside the Bank of America on 5th, hoping he at least had enough money to get a hotel for the night. He felt the familiar pang of anxiety as he waited for his balance to pop up.

_$75._

If he managed to find an Airbnb and a soup kitchen, he’d still have enough without using the company card. Stowing his card back in his wallet in his inside pocket, he decided to find out about soup kitchens first. He could always sneak back into his trailer and sleep in the cab. Stomping his feet one final time, he braced himself for the onslaught of snow before heading to the Salvation Army on 14th. At least the walk wasn’t far. Or so he thought, until he realized how much the snow was already piling up.

There’s always an odd tranquility about the city in the midst of a snow storm. The usually busy city seems to shut down and street traffic is slowly replaced by foot traffic: those willing to brave the blustery conditions and enjoy the day off from work to play in the snow. Today was no exception to Bodhi, he just wished he’d be able to witness it in happier circumstances.

He waited in what was already a long line stretching up 14th and around the corner to 6th. It didn’t take long for Bodhi to realize he was severely underdressed. Trudging around Manhattan he’d been keeping his blood pumping, but now, as he stood in line, he could feel how wet his feet truly were, and how damp his neck was from not having a hood or hat. Finally, at 11AM, they started letting people in. He was so cold by the time he got inside, he wished he could find a clothing bank, too.

Tray full of food, he took up a spot near the window, peeling off his soaked jacket and contemplating removing his boots, too. He watched as the snow piled up outside, the wind blowing it sideways. A small group of cops rounded the corner from 6th and Bodhi nearly choked when one of them caught his eye. He’d never admit to having a thing for men in uniforms, but when they were also covered in snow, it seemed to prove quite the turn-on. Bodhi suddenly decided that staring down at his plate was the new Netflix as he hid his flushed face from the cops as they entered the room, a fresh swirl of wind and snow following them inside.

From his episode of “They Ran Out of Creamer So I Guess I Like Black Coffee Now,” Bodhi could hear that the cops were regulars. That made sense. He heard one of them laugh and couldn’t help but look up and see the same cop he’d noticed before launching his now hat-free head back, his soft brown hair waving from side to side. He lurched forward and let out another chuckle before sighing and rubbing his far too pretty brown eyes. Bodhi dropped his fork, the ring of metal on the pavement floor far too unkind. He bent forward to pick it up, but suddenly a pair of black boots came into view. Bodhi gulped as he chanced to look up and nearly fell forward out of his chair as he saw it was the unfairly attractive cop. He gulped, quickly averting his gaze to his fork once more as the cop knelt down, picking up the fork before Bodhi. The momentum of meaning to grab the fork and then suddenly not reaching it sent Bodhi tumbling from his seat.

“Shit. I’m sorry,” Bodhi said as he lay sprawled on the floor. Far too gentle hands were helping Bodhi stand up.

“Don’t apologize. You’re fine,” the cop said as Bodhi righted himself, now realizing just how disgusting he must look. “Let me get you another fork.”

“No, it’s OK. I don’t-“ but the cop was gone already. Bodhi sank down onto his bench, contemplating how long it would take to drown himself in the remainder of his soup.

The cop returned with a new fork for Bodhi, and had somehow managed to procure two slices of cake, which he passed to Bodhi as he sat across from him.

“It was someone’s birthday yesterday, and they still had some left-overs. You look like you could use something sweet.”

About 20 inappropriate responses came to Bodhi’s mind, but he nodded instead, dipping his fork into the cake and hoping his stray wet strands of hair hid the blush on his face.

“So what brings you here?” the cop asked, with just the right amount of food in his mouth to sound adorable with the accent Bodhi just noticed.

“Truck. The storm. Driving. I mean..” Bodhi huffed a sigh. “Let me try again. I’m a truck driver, and I had a delivery here in the city, and I was supposed to leave and return home this morning, but I didn’t want to risk it with the weather. I don’t have any cargo, but if my trailer flipped, I’d be fucked.”

The cop smiled. How was he this handsome?

“Well I’m glad you didn’t try and make it out. We do too many calls with people that get stuck. And then we get stuck and it’s just…not a good cycle.”

Bodhi chanced a laugh.

“So where are you staying, if you’re not from here?”

“Oh, I’ve got. Shit. I need to book an Airbnb before it gets too late,” Bodhi said, pulling out his phone from his pocket.

“I’ll leave you to it, then. Enjoy your cake,” the cop said, picking up his empty paper plate.

“I-I will. Thanks for-thanks again,” Bodhi managed. He locked eyes with the cop and felt his heart stutter, and nearly flew in the air as a call came through on the cops pager.

“Any time,” the cop said, walking away.

Finally averting his gaze, Bodhi looked down at his phone as pushed the home button to wake it up, but all he saw was a black screen. He clicked it again. Nothing. He tried the power button but the screen was still equally black. Frantic, he started peeling off the protective cover, then realized iPhones required stupid special screwdrivers to pry off the back, so he tried pushing the home and power buttons again to do a hard restart. Still nothing. He looked up to see if the handsome cop was still there, only to discover in his frantic efforts to get his phone working he’d missed them leaving.

“Son of a-“ Bodhi started as he slumped his arms and head down onto the table, There was now close to 10” of snow outside, and it was still the early afternoon. He was suddenly thankful that he’d found a free meal rather than spent money on one, because he needed a phone charger now.

Reluctantly, Bodhi put his jacket back on, the wetness now cold against his body. He hoped his memory of the city would lead him to at least a Duane Read to get a new charger, and he was all too happy to find one just as a plow flew by him, piling the snow from the street right on top of Bodhi.

“Really?!” he yelled as he shook the snow off before walking right into the door that clearly said “pull” as Bodhi pushed with all his might. He growled as he stomped the snow from his feet. Surprisingly, the prices of chargers weren’t too much of a rip-off, and he was actually glad to have an extra in case something happened to the one in his cab.

“Declined,” the cashier said as Bodhi held his card in the chip reader. Bodhi felt a lump rise in his throat. It wasn’t possible. He’d just checked.

“Can you try again? I know I’ve got money in there...”

The cashier obliged, but the bleep of the card reader was proof enough that he clearly did not have enough money.

“It’s OK, I’ve got it,” a familiar voice came from behind Bodhi. It was the far too attractive cop, who was pulling out his card and putting it in the reader before Bodhi could get words out.

Bodhi stared at him in silence before he finally found his tongue.

“You didn’t...don't...have to. Really, it’s. Shit this is embarrassing,” Bodhi said as the cashier handed him the bag and receipt.

The cop laughed. “It’s not a problem. You try to have a good rest of your day, OK?”

“Y-yeah. Thanks. Thanks again.” The whoosh of the snow and wind stung Bodhi’s eyes as he stepped back out onto the street, but the cop was gone again.

“Is he even real?” Bodhi mumbled to himself. He pulled out the receipt and read the name from the card. Cassian J Andor. Bodhi decided he’d contact every precinct in New York until he found out which one Cassian was at and praise him.

He sloshed his way through the mounded snow, his feet clearly making new paths in the snow. Finally, after walking too many blocks to even count, Bodhi found the street he’d been able to leave his trailer parked on. As he neared the cab, he realized it was far too white inside.

“Shit, I left the window down!” Bodhi exclaimed as he ran towards the truck, the snow causing him to take bigger leaps. But the window wasn’t down. It was smashed.

“You have GOT to be kidding me!” The only response was the faint rumble of a snow plow in the distance. Bodhi fumbled for his keys and managed to slip into the passenger side of the cab. The glass was splayed out across the driver’s seat and it was clear from the open glove compartment that they’d taken absolutely everything he had on the truck, including his duffle bag with extra clothes. And his company card and spare credit card. Well, that explained why his card was declined. His account had been frozen.

“Fucking shit!” Bodhi yelled to the silence. He turned the truck on so he could at least charge his phone a bit and call the police to report the break-in. If they cared. They’d have far more important things to do during a snow storm. He curled up in the passenger seat, the heat blasting futility as he waited for his phone to get enough power to even turn on.

Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he heard sirens, and bolted up. A lone cop emerged from an SUV and walked up to the cab. The hot cop. Bodhi could see him in the rearview mirror before he could see him. He straightened himself up and then realized he may have actually done something wrong. What if he wasn’t allowed to park where he was? What if they were going to tow his truck? Bodhi wondered if he could just hide in his jacket and pretend to be a lump.

“Excuse me? We received reports of a break in to this truck. Can I see your license and registration?”

Bodhi slowly emerged from his jacket to look at the cop, his cheeks red with cold or embarrassment now, it didn’t matter.

“It’s uh. It’s me. I uh…I have my license but they stole everything out of my glove compartment. I can call my boss, though. He can tell you this is my truck, I swear. I’m sorry,” Bodhi said, handing his license to Cassian.

“Oh no, it’s you,” the cop said. Bodhi felt tears well up in his eyes.

“Shit, I didn’t mean it like that. No, don’t cry. I meant it in that it just seems like you’re having a bad day. I believe you. Shit, I suck at this. Here, take this,” the cop said, handing Bodhi a gray card through the broken window. Bodhi wiped a hand across his nose before reaching across the driver’s seat to take what was clearly a hotel room key.

“I live in Hoboken, but the city doesn’t want us traveling no matter how close we live, so they put us all up in hotels for the night. I’ve still got several hours left, but take my key. Go to the hotel, take a warm shower, and get some sleep.”

Bodhi blinked, his hand still stretched out to the key.

“But you don’t even know me. What if I’m some psycho killer or something? What if I’m lying?”

Cassian chuckled. That laugh again. “Then it would make for a far more interesting night than helping people get their cars out of the snow.”

“Really? You’re sure? You’re serious?” Bodhi asked, now taking the card and holding it reverently.

“Absolutely. I lucked out and got a suite. There’s a pull-out bed. It’s really no trouble. And when I get there we can fill out a theft claim?”

“Y-yeah. Sure. I…don’t know what to say.”

“I’m sure we’ll think of plenty for you to say later. Get warm now.” Cassian slapped the door of the truck and headed back to his SUV. Bodhi wondered why Cassian hadn’t offered him a ride to the hotel when he saw him turn on his lights and sirens and head in the opposite direction. It was quite a hike, but Bodhi finally made it to the Marriott he was now apparently staying at with Cassian. As he entered the suite, he felt tears: this time of joy. The place was huge. Or at least, much bigger than any hotel room he’d been it. Not only did it have a bathroom and half bath, but a king size bed with a giant TV and a kitchen with a huge couch and another TV. And a terrace!

Bodhi ran to the bathroom, glad to peel out of his wet clothes. He realized there wasn’t anything else there for him to wear but towels, but he didn’t care. He’d make a suit of towels if he had to.

After finishing what ended up being an hour long shower, Bodhi set up the hair dryer to blow on his clothes as he wrapped his head and torso in a towel and flopped on the bed. He still had a few hours before Cassian was back, so he decided to curl up under the covers and watch TV.

It wasn’t until Bodhi heard a loud clunk that he realized he’d fallen asleep in the bed. The hair dryer was still going, the TV was on, Bodhi was in the bed, and he was the absolute worst, most disrespectful guest.

He froze, not knowing what to do. He heard the dryer click off, the bathroom door close, and the distinct sound of running water. Cassian thought he was asleep. Why hadn’t he been mad? Bodhi waited with dread, waiting for Cassian to yell at him to get out, but he left the bathroom and clicked off the TV, then slipped into bed with Bodhi. There was more than enough room for them both, but Bodhi was still apprehensive. This wasn’t right. He was suddenly conscious of the fact that he was naked. This was-  


“Goodnight, Mr. Rook,” Cassian whispered before turning his back to Bodhi and switching off the light.

Bodhi gulped, trying to find words, but just decided to welcome sleep, somehow feeling safe. Bodhi had had a very, very bad day, but now, tucked up in a warm bed, he realized that everything bad that had happened had led him to this moment.

  
Outside, the wind was howling. The snow continued to pile high and drifted idly against the windows. But inside, everything was calm and warm.


End file.
